124. So This Is the Kind of Person I Am

Despite being tsundere, often saying the opposite of what she means, and occasionally doing nonsensical things out of flustered confusion, Eiri Spencer Sawamura was, at her core, a pure and kind girl.

And very easy to coax—or rather, cheer up.

A few words of praise were enough to visibly lift her mood, as evidenced by the radiant smile showing off her charming little fang. Her twin tails swayed in the sunlight, mirroring her now cheerful demeanor.

"Eiriri, have you had breakfast yet? Want to join me?" Once Kanade saw that she had perked up, he extended the invitation at just the right moment.

Of course, he hadn't forgotten his original plan. He'd been on his way to eat with his friends before this misunderstanding occurred. Though the issue was resolved, leaving her behind would seem dismissive. It was better to bring her along—he doubted Hachiman or the others would mind.

More importantly, the two of them lingering at a secluded lakeside during a school trip might look romantic to some, but if spotted, it would surely become a hassle.

"Mm, okay." Eiri nodded softly.

Likely exhausted from her earlier emotional outburst, her already limited stamina as a self-proclaimed otaku had hit rock bottom. Having skipped breakfast only made it worse, giving her an air of vulnerability that made her even more endearing.

Even Kanade, well aware of her true otaku nature, couldn't help but admit that when she calmed down, Eiri was undeniably an incredibly cute girl.

Of course, her tsundere side had its own charm, and he liked both equally.

"Alright, let's head back. The others are probably waiting," Kanade said, letting go of her hand—a gesture that left Eiri a little disappointed.

Still, she didn't let it bother her too much. In her mind, the fact that Kanade had chased after her to explain himself meant he cared about her feelings. If she rounded it up, it practically meant he cared deeply for her… her dreams didn't seem so far off anymore!

The walk back was uneventful.

As a prestigious academy, Shuchiin's students were mostly disciplined. Despite the early hour, many were already up and about. Along the way, Kanade and Eiri were greeted by several students. Some of their glances were oddly curious or speculative, which made Kanade inwardly hope no one misunderstood the situation.

When they reached the cafeteria, it didn't take long to spot Hachiman and the others. Kanade led Eiri over to their table.

"Finally! You—" Hachiman started to complain, only to freeze when he saw the golden-haired girl following Kanade.

Huh? His mind stalled. Did he seriously bring her here after just making up? And in the cafeteria, of all places? Aren't you afraid of being seen?!

Worry clouded Hachiman's face. He thought he'd seen Yukino Yukinoshita earlier—and what about those rumored girlfriends of Kanade's? If any of them saw this, wouldn't chaos erupt?

Never mind, this isn't my problem. Why am I stressing over this?

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Kanade said, completely unaware of Hachiman's internal drama. Even if he knew, he wouldn't have cared—wasn't it perfectly normal for friends to eat together?

"This is Eiri Spencer Sawamura," he said, introducing her. "She's a former clubmate of mine and a good friend." He then introduced his friends to Eiri.

"That's the story. Mind if we share a table?"

"Of course! Welcome, Sawamura-san," Tsubasa Tanuma chimed in. As the most "normal" of the group, he navigated the situation with ease.

"Wow, Kanade, your circle of friends is impressive. You know all the school's famous beauties," Tsubasa joked.

"I-I'm not famous or anything..." Eiri blushed, sneaking a glance at Kanade. When she saw no reaction from him, a trace of disappointment crossed her face.

"It's nice to meet all of you," she said with a polite bow. In public, Eiri exuded poise and elegance, handling the introductions effortlessly.

Meanwhile, Kanade found himself lost in thought. He'd completely forgotten that Eiri was considered one of the school's renowned beauties.

But what really struck him was the realization of how others saw him: a well-connected, popular student council president with great luck with girls?

In a sense, it wasn't wrong…

Ah, that explains the weird looks earlier. They must've misunderstood something.

Still, he decided not to dwell on it. At this point, worrying would just be pointless overthinking.

Once Eiri was seated, Kanade exchanged a few pleasantries with his friends before Hachiman stood up abruptly.

"I'm going to get food," he announced, walking off.

"Me too," Tsubasa and Miyuki Shirogane chimed in, following him.

Only then did Kanade remember that he hadn't ordered his food yet. Turning to Eiri, he asked, "I'm going to grab something. Do you want anything? How about milk and a sandwich?"

As a seasoned "food courier" from his days in a certain black-sock-loving club, Kanade knew better than to give an open-ended choice. If Eiri threw out a casual "anything's fine," it would only lead to trouble.

"Uh, milk..." Eiri hesitated, her eyes briefly flicking to her chest before she sighed, her tone growing a bit resentful. "That kind of thing…"

"That kind of thing?" Kanade tilted his head, puzzled. He assumed she simply didn't like milk.

"N-nothing!" Eiri quickly blurted. After glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention, she added in a softer voice, "What about you? What are you getting?"

"I'm thinking of getting the grilled meat set," Kanade admitted. Though a heavy meal wasn't the best breakfast, he felt like indulging.

"Grilled meat…" Eiri paused before reluctantly conceding, "I'll just have a sandwich."

As much as she wanted to share the same meal as Kanade, the idea of eating something so messy in public—especially in front of him—was mortifying. She couldn't bear the thought of being labeled a "weird girl."

So, she abandoned her hope of matching meals with Kanade. As for the milk? That was a small act of defiance—a refusal to let milk dictate her destiny!

"Alright, I'll be back soon. Wait here for me," Kanade said.

"Mm," Eiri replied with a small nod, watching him leave.